Munchkin Monday: Valentine Mailboxes

Valentines Day is coming up! Yes, I am excited!!! And not because I am expecting flowers or chocolate (although hubby if you are reading this post I would love them!) I absolutely love celebrating the holidays with children. There are so many fun ideas and creative projects that are out there (thank you Pinterest), and I delight in seeing the excitement in my daughter's eyes.

We have LOTS of Valentines plans this year. One of the new traditions we are starting is sending each other love notes throughout the month of February. I found these cute mailboxes in the dollar section at Target and I already had the pink mailbox letters.

Although the letters have a sticky back, I added a little krazy glue to ensure they would stay. So far so good....

I put the finished mailbox on some candlestick holders. I think they turned out really cute and I am excited to start using them! And the entire project cost me three bucks- while the messages that will be left inside of them will be priceless :) 

Cheesy, I know.

Happy Valentines Day!

I’m Linking up to these Awesome Blogs!

Tuesday Confessional Link Party {Confessions of a Stay At Home Mommy}

Trick or Treat Tuesday {Inside Bru Crew Life}
For the Kids Friday {Sun Scholars}

Uncommonly Yours {Uncommon}

Shine On Fridays {One Artsy Mama & Happy Go Lucky}

Foodie Friday: Homemade Mac-n-Cheese

Homemade Mac-n-Cheese

This is one of my favorite comfort foods!  My Mom would make this all of the time growing up & I have never liked the stuff out of the blue box.  Real cheese please =)  Not saying anything bad about the box kind, my kids like it & I will feed it to them for lunch sometimes, but this definitely tops it!  And my entire family loves it...double bonus there!

Here's the Recipe:

Homemade Mac-n-Cheese

One package noodles (any kind)

4 Tablespoons butter or margarine

1 small onion diced

4 Tablespoons flour

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded cheese

• Cook noodles & set aside.
• In a saucepan melt butter and saute onions.  Add flour, salt, & pepper.  Mix it up.
• In the same pan add 2 cups of milk (Any kind will do.  I usually use skim because that is what we have on hand.).  Heat over medium heat and stir pretty constant so the milk doesn't scorch.
• When the sauce has thickened add the cheese and let it melt.
• Pour noodles into a casserole dish and pour the cheese sauce over them.  Mix it up & top with a little bit of paprika (It's just adds a bit of color & makes it pretty).
• Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

I’m Linking up to these Awesome Blogs!

Makin’ You Crave Monday {Mrs. Happy Homemaker}

Mouthwatering Mondays {A Southern Fairytale}

Made By You Mondays {Skip To My Lou}

Tuesday Confessional Link Party {Confessions of a Stay At Home Mommy}

Trick or Treat Tuesday {Inside Bru Crew Life}

Shine On Fridays {One Artsy Mama & Happy Go Lucky}

Weekend Wrap-Up Party {TaterTots & Jello}

Strut Your Stuff Saturday {Six Sister’ Stuff}

DIY Thursday: Valentine Topiary

I have a shelf that I want to be my seasonal shelf, but the thing is, it needs something tall with every season to be "right." So why not make a Valentine Topiary? It is super easy and super cute!

What do I need to make this?

felt (about 1/3 yd)

Dowel 

Straight pins with flat tops

scrapbook paper

metal bucket (Joann's)

Ribbon

3 inch Styrofoam ball

Styrofoam for the bottom

Moss

 I used the inside of our duct tape to trace a TON of circles! 

Stack your felt layers 2-3 thick and start cutting your circles. If you have a die cutter or a Cricut expression or Silhouette cutter then go ahead and use those. Sadly, I don't have those :( 

Now, fold your circles into 4ths and start pinning them ALL over your Styrofoam ball. When I first started pinning I was pushing them together really tight. Then I had to go back and pull half out because I didn't like the spacing. If you don't want to use pins and you want to skip straight to hot glue, go ahead but remember you can't edit and rearrange the felt if you glue it onto the ball.

TADA!!

Okay, now take your dowel and paint it whatever color you want and stick it in the bottom of your ball! 

Take your metal bucket and cover it with your paper (getting around the handle is tricky you need to trace the best you can) use modge podge to attach the paper to the bucket. If you are lucky and can find a cute Valentine bucket then you are golden. None of the ones I could find were cute and I loved the quote on this paper so I was sold and stuck covering my own bucket :) 

My bottom as you can see is the florist foam because it was the size I wanted and it was there!  But if you are lucky to have just gotten a package and have left over Styrofoam from that then go for it!  Cut it to size and drop it into your bucket. Stick your dowel into the foam, then cover with your moss (glue with hot glue).

Add any little embellishments you feel your bucket needs, like some fun ribbon tied around. 

If you have any left over circles fold them in 4ths again and make yourself a cute hair clip. Each one uses 6-8 circles. Put 4 on the bottom making a circle. then stagger the next 2 and glue the insides together to keep it fluffed and cute. 

Thanks and enjoy making your own. They are really rather quick. (I actually made 2)

I’m Linking up to these Awesome Blogs!

Made By You Mondays {Skip To My Lou}

Tuesday Confessional Link Party {Confessions of a Stay At Home Mommy}

Trick or Treat Tuesday {Inside Bru Crew Life}

Shine On Fridays {One Artsy Mama & Happy Go Lucky}

Weekend Wrap-Up Party {TaterTots & Jello}

Strut Your Stuff Saturday {Six Sister’ Stuff}

Wild Card Wednesday: Guest Blogger: Every Creative Endeavor

Hey Ya'll!  This is Trinity.  I am super excited about our Guest blogger this month!  I met her when we were both down at Snow College (Go Badgers!).  We were SBO's so we got to spend a lot time together.......and much of that time was late at night, in the student body offices, when we were supposed to be doing homework but more often than not involved snood, credit cards, and kazaa =)  Even back in college she was super crafty and creative.  She is one of the cutest girls I know.  No matter what life heals her, she always keeps positive and keeps a smile on her face.  I am super happy that she said she would do a post for us. (if you want to see a fantastic house remodel, check it out on her blog and you will be amazed!)



Hey Everyone! My name is Amanda and I the creator and author of
Every Creative Endeavor - A Blog for DIY Inspiration for Home and All Things Creative!
When I am not busy being a mom and a wife - I blog!
I started my blog a couple years ago to share some of the ideas that I had made and as a creative outlet for myself. I love being creative and making items for my home, family and friends. My husband and I work together as a team as we update and remodel our home and I share tutorials about that as well. I love to plan parties and get everything ready for them -and I love to share fun little tips that make being a wife and mom and sister and friend and neighbor a little easier! 
Valentine's Day is just around the corner so I wanted to share a fun little
 Valentine's Day project with you -

I have seen etching all over the place - but have never done it.

To be honest - for some reason - it sorta scared me a little bit -

How do you etch glass??

Weird, right? Because etching this was SO EASY!!

Like - really super duper easy - 

First - you need to grab your supplies -

You will need:

champagne flutes

Etching cream
vinyl
and a paint brush

I bought my champagne flutes at Ikea - they were $5 for 6! That works great for me because we hardly ever use them and when we do my 2 year old likes to be in on the action too!

I used my silhouette and cut out the vinyl - if you don't have a vinyl cutter you can use an exacto knife or a die cut machine to cut out your shape. 

Peel the vinyl carefully off it's backing and stick it onto your flute.

Now we start the etching process - 

Simply brush on a think layer of the etching cream - lightly brushing it on.

Wait for about 5 minutes...

... then wash it off. Peel off your vinyl and your done!

See! I told you it was easy!! 

This project only took me about 10 minutes tops - 

Quick and easy - but so cute!!

Mine say Husband and Wife - perfect for Valentine's Day -

but you can make your's say whatever you want.

His & Hers

Your names
Nicknames

What will your Glass Valentine Day Flutes say? 

Thanks so much for having me today!

I would love if you stopped by and said hello -
Some of my other projects include:

Valentine Subway Art * Sweetheart Banner * Feather Boa Wreath

I hope you guys have a great week!!

Sweet Tooth Tuesday: S'more Stuffed Brownies

I made these this summer, one of the favorite things for the summer is s'mores.  Seriously, is there really anything much better?  Crunchy graham cracker, warm, gooey marshmallow that you roasted yourself (and if you're anything like me you usually have to blow out the flames on it because you weren't paying attention and put it directly in flames, or wipe the ashes off because you dropped it on a log) and then add chocolate (what isn't good with chocolate?) and then another cracker.  One of the best sandwiches ever invented!!  Since not all of us are camp gurus (me) we don't get to partake of the s'more goodness the way it's meant to be enjoyed (sorry, a kitchen torch or a microwave aren't a substitute for a campfire) but how about we combine it with the goodness we can enjoy in our kitchens.....brownies!!!  I am not the genius behind the original recipe, that is from one of my favorite cooks over at Picky Palate.  I did take her recipe and change a few things.  So here's my version :  (if you want cute pictures of it, check out her site, otherwise, you're stuck with the ones I take using my phone =P  )

Brownies

 (or if you want to be lazy, use your favorite box mix and prepare as instructed on box)

2 cups sugar

1 3/4cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup baking cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 1/2 graham crackers

10-12 oz. mini marshmallows

half a bag of chocolate chips (or you can use Hershey's bar, but I like dark chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 8x8 pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray.

Combine the brownie ingredients and pour half into pan. 

Cover with graham crackers

Cover crackers with chocolate chips, then add marshmallows.

Pour remaining brownie batter over top of marshmallows.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool completely before cutting and serving.  Trust me on this one!  If you don't, then the chocolate comes oozing out and it's a big gooey (albeit delicious) mess.  Restrain yourself and let it cool, or put it in the freezer (out of site, out of mind, right?)  Once cool, cut and serve and enjoy!!  You can then heat the individual pieces if you would like.

Put some marshmallow fluff on top and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs or use Whitney's Marshmallow Frosting.

I need to add a little note....The first time I made these, I used the big marshmallows and thought they made them too gooey, so this time I made them using the small ones.  I didn't get as much of the marshmallow taste as I wanted, so I think next time I make them, I will do a mix of both or possibly use marshmallow fluff, or if you make them and do it, please le me know how it worked for you.  This is still one of my recipes that I am fiddling a bit with so be on the lookout for an update of it when I get it the way I want =)

I’m Linking up to these Awesome Blogs!

Makin’ You Crave Monday {Mrs. Happy Homemaker}

Mouthwatering Mondays {A Southern Fairytale}

Made By You Mondays {Skip To My Lou}

Tuesday Confessional Link Party {Confessions of a Stay At Home Mommy}

Sweet Tooth Friday {Alli ‘n Son}

Shine On Fridays {One Artsy Mama & Happy Go Lucky}

Weekend Wrap-Up Party {TaterTots & Jello}

Strut Your Stuff Saturday {Six Sister’ Stuff}